The Rockies search for Todd Helton’s replacement has left them focusing on Justin Morneau. Morneau is considered a strong defender, and a weapon against right-handed pitching. (Denis Poroy, Getty Images)

Justin Morneau won American League MVP honors in 2006. He finished second in 2008. He’s not that guy.

Justin Morneau won the Home Run Derby in 2008 at Yankee Stadium, something everyone forgets because of Josh Hamilton’s breathtaking performance in the preliminary rounds. He’s not that guy.

But can Morneau be a guy who helps the Rockies? It’s possible for a number of reasons.

First, he’s a realistic target. Unlike their failed bids for Jose Abreu (six-year, $63-million), Carlos Ruiz (two-year, $15 million with club option) and Brian McCann (unknown, but likely in the $60 million range), the Rockies are not competing with big market clubs for Morneau. No White Sox, no Phillies, no Yankees. At least not publicly.

Former Giants and Dodgers’ reliever Brian Wilson is among the long list of hard-throwing relievers the Rockies are pursuing in free agency. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

The Rockies began the offseason by unsuccessfully opening the vault for a Cuban defector, leaving them facing a winter of detractors.

It’s an outgrowth of the standings: The fans see a team that has finished in last place in consecutive seasons and places second regularly for free agents. This isn’t always the case. The Rockies won the bidding for outfielder Michael Cuddyer two years ago, reaping the reward of his three-year, $31.5-million contract when he won a batting title, a Silver Slugger and earned an all-star berth last season.

He represented their biggest free agent outlay since Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle received combined deals worth $175.3 million in December 2000. That’s why the $63 million offer to Jose Abreu, who received $68 million from the White Sox, a team with his former Cuban teammates, was intriguing. It represented a bold move, absent for more than a decade.

This much is known: The Rockies have roughly $9 million to spend, if no one is traded (like outfielder Dexter Fowler), to upgrade their roster. There are multiple possibilities given that the team is open to trades, and recognizes areas that need obvious help:

Michael Cuddyer knew he was better. In his first season with the Rockies after signing a three-year, $31.5-million contract, the outfielder dealt with disappointment. He was on pace for 60 extra-base hits, but his season was cut short by multiple oblique injuries.

Driven to help the team rebound — he showed up in spring training and distributed “Beat Their (Butts)” shirts to teammates — Cuddyer’s march to the Silver Slugger began in March. He explained Thursday why his season started out so well, leading to a career year. He posted a 27-game hitting streak, won a batting title and on Wednesday claimed his first Silver Slugger.

“Nothing in my thought process was different. My progression through spring was as good as it has ever been. The first couple of weeks I was hitting the ball to right field. The next couple of weeks I was hitting it to center field. Then the last couple of weeks I was pulling inside pitches and using the whole field,” Cuddyer, 34, said on Thursday. “It gave me a lot of confidence going into the season.”

Matt Belisle never wavered in his desire to return to the Rockies. But he wondered briefly if he would be back. The club held a $4.25-million mutual option for 2014. The Rockies weighed his production and leadership, and exercised the final year of his deal on Monday.

Belisle, taking a brief break from an elk hunting trip, welcomed the decision and looks forward to helping the Rockies take another step forward next season.

“I am humbled by (their desire to bring him back), and I will take responsibility and do whatever I need to do to help us win,” Belisle told The Post on Tuesday. “(Michael) Cuddyer and I have had good talks about this. If I need to step up and be more vocal in and outside the clubhouse, if I need to get out of my comfort zone, I will. It’s time to win. And win now.”

It was a perfect night for baseball in St. Louis before Game 3. Prior to Game 2, the Red Sox had won eight straight World Series games, including a sweep of the Rockies in 2007. (Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post)

ST. LOUIS — Todd Helton’s successor was briefly within reach last week, according to multiple sources with direct knowledge of the Rockies’ bid for free agent first baseman Jose Abreu.

The Rockies aggressively pursued the Cuban superstar. I reported last week that they placed multiple bids on the 6-foot-3, 250-pound slugger. The amount was unknown. This weekend, sources said the Rockies reached $63 million, just shy of the White Sox’s winning bid of six years, $68 million.

Rockies’ ownership gave clearance to spend the money on Abreu. It’s unlikely that the Rockies would reach $60 million on another free agent this winter. Abreu was unique because of his age — he’s 26 — and power. Given the success of countrymen Yoenis Céspedes and Yasiel Puig, he represented a worthy gamble.

The last time I covered a playoff game in St. Louis, this happened. David Freese won MVP honors, in large part, due to his breathtaking performance in the Game 6 win over the Texas Rangers. (Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post)

The first World Series I covered was 2001. It was interwoven with brilliance and emotion, coming just weeks after the terrorist acts in New York City. I have never been at a sporting event like Game 3. President Bush threw a strike in the ceremonial first pitch, and you could practically feel 70,000 fists pump in the air with patriotism. It was a healing moment.

I will head to St. Louis this weekend for the middle games of the World Series. Each series is unique. Outside of the Rockies’ play-in game in 2007, the best game I have ever covered was Game 6 of the 2011 World Series. The Cardinals were down to their last out. And then third baseman David Freese ties it with a triple on a ball that Nelson Cruz gator-armed after inexplicably not playing “no doubles” (or deep to prevent exactly what happened).

Moments later, Freese walked off the Rangers. The same Freese who grew up in St. Louis, and whose friends razzed him for weeks after the Cardinals traded Jim Edmonds to San Diego to acquire him.

Rockies manager Walt Weiss said going through the grind of a season as a player helped prepare him for tough times as a manager. (Denver Post file photo)

Rockies owner Dick Monfort told The Denver Post Friday that he wants manager Walt Weiss to return for the 2014 season, and Weiss has made it clear he wants to return.

A contract has not been signed yet, but Weiss spoke about his situation prior the Saturday night’s game against the Diamondbacks.

“I think it’s pretty simple,” Weiss said. “I want to come back and the front office knows that I want to come back. But as far as any contract talks, there have been none. As I said last night, there will be a time for that.”

When asked if, during the toughest times this season, he ever had doubts about returning, Weiss said: “I knew that it was not always going to be roses as a manager in this league. There have been some tough weeks. But I never got to the point where I felt like I didn’t want to come back; where I didn’t want to do this.

Jhoulys Chacin can appreciate history. The Rockies have had plenty of pitchers who can swing the bat. But those who hit home runs is a fairly select group, all things considered. Mike Hampton was the most prolific. Jason Hammel ended the pitchers’ drought with a shot in Milwaukee a few years back (The players put a spoof ball in his locker, congratulating Cole Hamels for his home run and World Series performance). Kevin Millwood delivered some shots. And Alex White was the last to pull it off last September in San Diego.

Carlos Gonzalez and Rockies trainer Keith Dugger leave the field after an injury. Gonzalez is trying a cortisone shot in his finger to see if he can avoid surgery.(Photo by Doug Pensinger, Getty Images)

All-star outfielder Carlos Gonzalez received his first cortisone shot this season on Thursday, a last measure before deciding if he will undergo surgery on his finger.

Michael Cuddyer leads the NL in batting, but suffered a forearm and wrist injury on a diving catch on Wednesday. (Getty Images)

Michael Cuddyer is a gamer. The Rockies outfielder gets frustrated talking about injuries. And the idea that he would miss games down the stretch to protect his batting average, well, that’s ridiculous if you have ever seen his daily effort.

Cuddyer said he would get a cortisone shot if necessary to finish the season.

“This isn’t serious. I will play,” Cuddyer said sternly.

He’s in position to win his first batting title, hitting .331, slightly ahead of Atlanta’s Chris Johnson (.327). The idea that Cuddyer would sit on his average is silly. He has to get healthy, so don’t be surprised if he doesn’t play Thursday.

Wilin Rosario is strong “like Baby Bull,” but he’s going to be riding the bench for a few days.

The Rockies catcher departed Tuesday night’s game against the Cardinals following his at-bat in the second inning. What first appeared to be just a cramp in his right calf now appears to be something a little more serious.

“I think it’s more of a strain now … as opposed to being just a cramp,” manager Walt Weiss. “It’s popped up on him the over the last few weeks, so I see him being down for a couple of days.”

Rockies catcher Wilin Rosario has hit 21 homers this season, but he’s going to miss a few games with a right calf strain. (The Associated Press)

That’s too bad for Rosario, who said he wants to finish the season strong. He’s hit well of late, raising his batting average to .292. He’s slugged 21 home runs.

There are 34 players on the Rockies’ September roster, so there’s going to be a lot of cameo appearances over the last 11 games.

Case in point: Drew Pomeranz, the forgotten starter.

Monday night, the lefty pitched in his first big-league inning since July 22. Pomeranz, who’s been battling left biceps tendinitis most of the summer, pitched the 6th inning against Cardinals, allowing no runs on one hit and inducing a double-play grounder.

Lefty Drew Pomeranz pitched for the first time since June 22 when he threw an inning of relief for the Rockies Monday night against the Cardinals. (Lenny Ignelzi, The Associated Press).

“I guess I can always be better, but it sure felt good to be out there again,” Pomeranz said.

Pomeranz, the centerpiece of the Ubaldo Jimenez trade in 2011, said he doesn’t know if he will pitch in the fall, or possibly compete in winter ball.

“I really don’t know what’s next,” he said. “I guess I just want to keep trying to get out there as much as I can before the end (of the season).”

Pomeranz’s fastball was consistently clocked at 91-92 mph Monday night, and peaked at 93. That’s a good sign.

SAN FRANCISCO — The seagulls have taken over AT&T Park as the clock strikes midnight here in the City By the Bay. What a wild, weird Tuesday night of baseball.

Michael Cuddyer — who hit two homers in the Rockies’ 9-8 victory, including the game-winner in the ninth off Giants closer Sergio Romo — said the win was important because it showed him that the Rockies still have some fight left in them.

Truthfully, I was beginning to wonder if the Rockies had cashed it in after four-straight, lifeless performance on the road. So it was good to see them rally, not once, but twice.

It’s a wonder pitchers don’t have to sign a waiver before facing Yasiel Puig. He’s a danger to himself (at times) and others. His presence — 6-foot-3, 240 pounds — is unmistakable. Wednesday, he sauntered into the batter’s box with the game on the line.

It was the eighth inning with runners aboard. He represented the go-ahead run. It was his first at-bat since he injured his knee on Monday running the bases. Manuel Corpas, a closer in a previous life with the Rockies, welcomed the confrontation.

He struck out pinch-hitter Carl Crawford and steeled himself for Puig. The at-bat reached a full count. Corpas had used his slider effectively twice to Puig. He figured Wilin Rosario would call for it again. But the catcher surprised him, asking for a sinker.

Todd Helton has no reason to be guarded at this point. With his career coming to a close, he freely expresses his opinion. An d when it comes to the use of expanded replay, he’s for it. Players want to see the call right. That’s what Roy Oswalt said. What Michael Cuddyer said. What every veteran I talked to in the Rockies’ clubhouse indicated on Friday.

The issue is the mechanics. Will it delay the flow of the game. Will somebody try to game the system with a frivolous challenge to warm up or stall a pitcher? Will it take too long? As long as the reviews are kept to the 1 minute, 15-second mark — or in that range — players are for it.

Rockies right fielder Michael Cuddyer rejoined the team after missing the past two games with a stomach illness. (Getty Images)

The longer Michael Cuddyer talked the worse it sounded. He contracted the same stomach flu that sidelined his family, leaving him unable to eat for 36 hours. His ribs and stomach hurt from throwing up, and he is six pounds lighter. But the all-star outfielder was finally strong enough and no longer contagious, clearing him able to return to the clubhouse for the first time since Sunday.

Sure Mark Whiten went by the moniker “Hard Hittin’” – but was he, in fact, quantifiably hard hittin’? There is a cool stat that may have benefited the 90s slugger who played for, like, every team but the Rockies. It’s called WHAV and it measures the percent of at-bats in which a player hits the ball “hard,” this according to video review of every player’s at-bats.

From batting ninth for Clayton High to playing right-center field for the company softball team, I can relate to a feeling every player has – smacking the heck out of a pitch, only to have the line drive snagged. The goal is to hit it where they ain’t, they say, and the easiest way to do that is to hit it there hard.

Jorge De La Rosa shows off the bruise on his left arm. De La Rosa was struck by a liner on Friday, but will not miss a start. He’s hockey tough. (Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post)

Rafael Betancourt’s son knew when his dad was ill in July, advising the trainers to examine him, which led to an emergency appendectomy. Asked how his father looked on Monday, Rafael Jr. smiled. Betancourt threw a 30-pitch simulated game on Monday, will throw for Triple-A Colorado Springs on Thursday then plans to rejoin the Rockies on Friday in Baltimore.

“I feel much better. I threw all my pitches. It went really well,” said Betancourt, whose absence since July 19 has hurt a struggling bullpen.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.